Who else is cutting their days at Disney and adding Universal

[rstamm]

I love Disney but while they are putting billions in a wrist band, Universal is building incredible attractions.

I would normally do 1 day Universal every couple of Disney trips but starting next year I am staying at Universal to get front of the line and doing 2 days while cutting back on Disney park days and hotel stay.

I have read so many posts that people are unhappy with Magic Bands and lack of new attractions, so will you do Universal or other parks during your trip and cut your days to Disney?

 

[ArwenMarie]

We switched our last trip (Feb) from WDW to onsite Universal because of all of the uncertainty with FP+. This was our first trip to Universal. We ended up liking the hotel way more than the Disney Deluxes we have stayed at and we loved the unlimited Express Pass. The trip was just fun, no stress, required very little planning. And the food was better overall.

For our next trip in the late summer, we are going to stay onsite at Universal and see WDW from there. Win-win

 

[flutterby3744]

Not me. As much as I would like to see HP, honestly that's the only reason I would go. I know US has much more than that, but it's kind of a been there done that thing for us. It's difficult for me to justify adding a $600 plus food day JUST to see HP. Plus, despite FP anxiety, I just can't give up any precious Disney days. My family also takes non-Disney vacations so we don't go as often as some others (once every 2-3 years), so when we do we like to soak in as much as possible!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We will add days for US, but we will not take away days from our WDW vacation to do so. From a cost perspective, it just does not make sense. WDW becomes less expensive per day every day past day 4. Those staying fewer days at WDW pay a premium for those days.

We are adding days at US, staying in their resort, because we also like US.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

We don't really care much for Universal (not big thrill riders here) but we are adding more time at Sea World and a few more things outside of WDW.

 

[morethananyonex]

We won't be cutting Disney days but we will be adding Universal for the first time in years.

We contemplate going to Universal every time we go to Disney, but ultimately we don't want to waste a Disney day. On our next trip, the combination of Harry Potter and FP+ will have us visiting Universal for at least a day. It's not because of our dislike of FP+, rather FP+ makes it easier for us to justify giving up part of a Disney day. Our tentative plan is to head to Universal at opening for a day and use our FP+ in the evening at a Disney park.

Before anyone comments on Disney not caring about losing us for that day because we're buying a ticket anyways, it's not about sticking it to Disney, which is usually where this conversation goes. It's about Disney making it easier for us to not miss out on precious Disney time by allowing us to book FP+ for a day we haven't entered the parks until later. We buy 10 day tickets, so we are willing to pay the cost between 9 and 10 days to spend the evening at a Disney park with our FP that night.

 

[jm106]

We are but not for any other reason aside from my kids can now enjoy US and IOA. We have a car now being off site so its a bit simpler. When we were on site, it was not worth it.

 

[HM]

If we do Universal, we do not do Disney's main parks and we do not stay at Disney. We'll do three days at Universal, do a day at a Disney waterpark and then take time to do other things around Orlando.

I have no plans for either Universal or Disney in the near future though.

 

[shadeauxe]

I have been going to WDW for 34 years, often for 7+ day trips and have never been to Universal. I probably won't go until my children are teenagers (they are 9 & 2), if ever.

 

[BJSforVols]

We are, but it's due to my sons getting older and not due to any dissatisfaction with Disney.

 

[Sparkly]

We're doing two days at Universal because we want to do Universal, not because of the FP+ thing.

 

[khort]

We have been alternating our trips between WDW and US. As much as we love the magic if Disney, we find the accommodations and perks of staying on site at US a bit more tempting these days.

 

[MichelleVW]

Nope...other than the HP stuff I have less than zero desire to go there.

 

[surferdave]

I will definitely want to visit Universal for the first time on my next vacation trip to the Orlando area.

 

[ilovemk76]

No us. We have done Universal in the past and stayed onsite. After a day and a half, we are ready to leave and then go and spend 8 days at Disney and a day at SW. We only do this once every 5 years or so. We went the year after WWoHP opened and will go again in a year or two.

Sea World is a must every trip.

 

[5Hfan]

yes! we are going to split our holiday trip between Disney and onsite at Universal. Our soon to be teen is thrilled! Never been to universal before, so if we like it will consider annual passes there...

 

[JimmyV]

For our next trip, we may not add any US days, but we will definitely add some Siesta Key days. A trip to WDW has become less and less relaxing with too many RD mornings and late nights. What we need to add to our vacation isn't more theme park castles, but instead more sand castles.

 

[mm1971]

I love Disney but while they are putting billions in a wrist band, Universal is building incredible attractions.

I would normally do 1 day Universal every couple of Disney trips but starting next year I am staying at Universal to get front of the line and doing 2 days while cutting back on Disney park days and hotel stay.

I have read so many posts that people are unhappy with Magic Bands and lack of new attractions, so will you do Universal or other parks during your trip and cut your days to Disney?

No, we will not cut out the Disney time. We will most likely take a day over to US to see the new HP area, but that is normal for us. I understand why you feel the way you do. For us, US/IOA is only a day because my children do very few of the rides. If they did more of the attractions maybe it would be different.

Just a point, Disney is investing in more attraction and upgrading it's offerings. NFL, mine train coming, DTD renovations, Avatar, SW rumored. It just takes time and not sure if that stuff appeals to everyone.

We have not tried the MB yet, but will this summer. Maybe I'll feel as others do and that will change my opinion, but for now I plan to go in with an open mind and see how it works.

 

[jimmysmom74]

When we used FP+ in November it was not bad(legacy was still in place). But this Springbreak trip was just too many lines. We intended to go back to WDW for 7days and 1day at US in June, but now we are going to go 4 nights to US and 4 nights WDW.

Hopefully the changes will improve the system, but in the meantime, I am not willing to spend all my hard earned $$ trialling this FP+ again. Just get to the end of this "test" already! Time to give US a try IMHO.

 

[lazer]

We're thinking about it. My sons will be 5 and 2 on this trip, and I don't know if there's enough for us to make an entire trip of Universal, but definitely will when they're older. Going in October and driving, so we might try to do 6 Disney days and 2 at universal. But, I want to stay onsite at both, not sure if that'll fit in the budget!